The Modi brigade is leaving no stones unturned to back Bharatiya Janata Party's 2019 poll pitch for Bengal, "Ab Ki Baar Bengal Mein BJP Sarkar". Prime Minister Modi kick-started the poll campaign in Bengal from one of the key Lok Sabha constituencies of Bengal, Midnapore. BJP snatched two seats from the kitty of the ruling Trinamool party in the last Assembly Polls but in the upcoming elections, the saffron brigade is emphasizing on procuring more seats from this stronghold of Mamata. The political analysts believe that the sweeping victory of BJP in the North-Eastern states such as Assam, Tripura, that are largely populated by Bengali speaking population might leave an impact on Bengal.
Both the prime opponents, BJP and Trinamool are trying to project themselves as the champions of Bengali interest. To propel the poll campaign BJP has not only planned mega Rath Yatras post-Durga Puja. Apart from relying on Modi magic the BJP leadership in Bengal is resorting to 'icon politics' by paying their obeisance to some of the famous Bengalis.
Mamata Banerjee, the Chief Minister of Bengal in her own style not only attacked BJP from the podium of 21st July, but she also did a Shashi Tharoor and took a 'Taliban' swipe at BJP. As per media reports she is constantly in touch with the regional leaders and burning the midnight oil to create the face of the Federal Front before the 2019 polls. The Trinamool party is not only wooing the farmers and the Tribals through different projects but the party supremo, Mamata Banerjee, voiced her concern on the grave misgivings about the National Register of Citizens which is being updated for the first time since 1951. She even slammed BJP for playing 'divide and rule' politics in Assam. Experts believe that she is trying to fracture the support line of BJP that might have an impact on the fate of the ruling party of Bengal in the upcoming polls.
The political pundits think that Congress is adopting 'desperate measures at desperate times' such as Raga's bear hug to Modi to turn the focus of the media towards him and soon after projecting Rahul Gandhi as the prime ministerial candidate in the forthcoming 2019 Lok Sabha elections, the party took a complete U-turn and told media that Congress will support any candidate who isn't backed by the Sangh Parivar. Congress as a party wants to play a safe game and they are strategizing on creating a united force that could bulldoze the BJP juggernaut, thinks political analysts.
